1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoconductive drum device having a frame, a photoconductive drum supported rotatably on the frame under a state in which a part of an outer circumferential surface of the photoconductive drum is exposed, and a cover supported on the frame in a manner capable of swinging for protecting the photoconductive drum.
2. Description of Related Art
An open-and-close cover is provided on a main body of an image forming device such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine and a printer. In a conventional image forming device, after the open-and-close cover is opened and an inner part of the device main body is exposed, a user can carry out maintenance work on a photoconductive drum device or the like provided removably in the device main body. In such a conventional image forming device, the open-and-close cover is provided at an upper part of the device main body. When the open-and-close cover is opened, a process cartridge including a photoconductive drum can be removed from an upper side of the device main body. An openable and closable shutter mechanism for covering an exposed part of the photoconductive drum is provided on the process cartridge to prevent the hand of the user or the like from making contact with the exposed part of the photoconductive drum.
The process cartridge includes a shutter, a supporting member, an elastic member and a force receiving member. The shutter protects the photoconductive drum and is supported by the supporting member. The shutter can move between a protection position and a receded position. At the protection position, the shutter protects the photoconductive drum. The receded position is located at a rear side of the protection position in a direction in which the process cartridge is inserted into the device main body. The elastic member urges the shutter toward the protection position by an elastic force of the elastic member. The force receiving member is provided on the supporting member and is used for inserting the process cartridge into the device main body. The force receiving member makes contact with an edge of an opening provided on an upper surface of the device main body and receives a force to move the shutter backward in the inserting direction against the elastic force of the elastic member. Since the process cartridge has the above-described structure, when the process cartridge is inserted into the device main body, the shutter can be opened automatically, and when the process cartridge is removed, the shutter can be closed automatically.